What really made the first female director of the Great Yorkshire Show apply for unique role

And it set Rachel Coates thinking...’or her’.

In an exclusive interview with Country Post, she said: “I thought, I could do that. I looked at the job specification and I had got the essentials and desirables and ticked the boxes.

“Then I thought, even if I don’t get anywhere at least I applied and there is nothing to lose. My family were happy to step in a bit more with the farm so I thought ‘let’s go for it’.”

And so, the dairy farmer from Shipley will make history as the first female to take over the role of Show Director of the Great Yorkshire Show when the handover from Mr Mills takes place immediately after this year’s event - which will be the 165th.

Aiming to break the mould and be the first woman wasn’t necessarily behind the decision, but it has highlighted how the perception of the role of women in farming is changing.

Mrs Coates said: “The fact that I was the first woman never entered my head. I went to agricultural college and there were only one in ten (women). Now there is probably a 50/ 50 split.

“When I first came to the show at 18 years old, if you had said then ‘you will be show director’, I would have never believed you.

"I have been on my farming journey 40 years and things have been changing all the time. Minette Batters (who stepped down as president of the NFU last month after six years at the helm) has influenced women to take roles in farming and if me getting this job is a little bit of that, I will be happy.”

Originally from North Yorkshire, she met her husband, Stephen, through the Young Farmers network, they married and she joined him on his family farm in West Yorkshire.

They farm Holstein cattle and have a few Jersey cows as well. Their 26-year-old son, Ben, also works on the farm.

While there is not much she wishes to change, in what is proving to be a successful show format, she wants there to be more focus on farming from all around the region and more younger farmers getting involved.

"I am from West Yorkshire which is not usually represented a great deal at the show. I want to have all sections of the Yorkshire community and representation from all backgrounds at the show.

"I want to focus more on young people and the next generation and how we are going to inject some of my passion for the GYS into younger people and take it forward to the future.”

Show days for Rachel are going to be different to just the dairy rings from now on and she is shadowing Mr Mills and attending meetings from here on in until July to learn as much as she can about the role and the running of the show behind the scenes.

They may still prove to be a family affair as her other children, eldest daughter Felicity, 31, works for Holstein UK and younger daughter, Zoe, 29, works for British Wool so they are too working on the showground.

In addition to running the farm business and being on the YAS Council, Rachel also attends the Women in Farming group and its Autumn Gathering.

She has also worked in the advertising, retail and education sectors and was also one of four founder members of Baildon Farmers Market which started 12 years ago and continues to take place each month despite challenges such as COVID.